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Know your Ocean: Did you know?

Did you know?

Dive in and find answers to your deepest ocean questions. Why is the ocean blue? What causes ocean waves? How do I become and oceanographer?  Get the facts and increase your ocean knowledge.

Surface waves forming in the Gulf of Mexico

What causes ocean waves?

A trip to the ocean means sun, wind, and waves. Surfers ride them. Children play in them. Swimmers dive beneath them. But what causes waves?

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Blue Ocean

Why is the ocean blue?

One idea is that it reflects the sky. But if we sink below the surface, the blue color remains. Here, the water isn’t reflecting the sky. So why is the ocean blue?

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Does the ocean produce oxygen?

It’s easy to think of the world’s forests as the planet’s “lungs.” Trees pump out oxygen—the same stuff we breathe in. But does all our breathable air come from just land?

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Colorful Corals

Why are corals so colorful?

One of the most striking things about coral is its bright coloring. But many are a dull green or brown. So, what gives some corals their bright hues?

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